Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my all time FAVORITE Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe! Just 5 ingredients!

This recipe will cover either one 2-layer 8" or 9" cake, 24 cupcakes, or generously frost (as much frosting as in the photos) 12 cupcakes.

Please see note regarding thickness

Course Dessert, Cupcakes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings cupcakes or 1 8" or 9" 2-layer cake

Calories 146kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened (113g)
8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (226g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar* (500g)

Instructions

Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.
Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.
With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.
Use to frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.

Video

Notes

As mentioned in the post, this is a sturdy and pipe-able frosting that will hold its shape and is comparable to buttercream in texture. It's wonderful for decorating! Many cream cheese recipes use less sugar and are far looser because of it; this icing as-written is less sweet than buttercream, but if you want an even less sweet frosting you can use less sugar and just add to taste (you'll need at least two cups).

Frosting that is too thick and too sweet is often caused by accidentally over-measuring the powdered sugar, it should be weighed or measured the same way that flour is measured. If you accidentally make your frosting too thick, you can thin it by adding a splash of heavy cream or milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

*If you plan to pipe the frosting with a small tip, I recommend sifting the powdered sugar (after measuring).

The cupcakes in these photos were frosted using an Ateco 848 tip.

Nutrition